Spring-key threadless bolt.



No. 633,7!9. Patented Sept. 26, I899.

T. C. HACKETT. SPRING KEY THBEADLESS BOLT.

(Application filed Nov. 28, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTCEO THOMAS C. HAOKETT, OF QUEEN ANNE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TXVO- TI'IIRDS TO HOlVARD R. HOPKINS, OF YVYE MILLS, AND CATHERINE IIAOKETT, OF HILLSBOROUGH, MARYLAND.

SPRING-KEY THREADLESS BOLT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,719, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed November 281 1898. Serial No. 697,622. (No model.)

. l'o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. HACKETT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Queen Anne, county of Queen Anne, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Key Threadless Bolts, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for fastening railway-rail joints; and it consists, substantially, in such features of improvement as will hereinafter be more particularly described.

The object of the invention is to dispense with the use of washers and threaded bolts and nuts as elements in a rail-joint fastening and to substitute therefor devices which can be applied more quickly and which operate with greater effectiveness in maintaining a tight joint or connection between the ends of the rails.

A further object is to provide a fastening for rail-joints which cannot readily be released or disconnected without the use of a specially-contrived device or implement for that purpose.

These and additional objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of two rails joined or spliced by means of my improved fastening device. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View on the line as, Fig. 1, and showing more clearly the construction and operation of the several parts. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the bolt and its fastening devices in top plan view. Fig. f is a similar view in bottom plan and showing very clearly the manner of employing the tool or special implement for disconnecting and removing the spring-clamp from the bolt. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, showing the bolt and its fastener in a position at right angles to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a view showing the tool or implement employed for disconnecting the fastening for the bolt.

Preliminarily to a more detailed description it may be stated that my invention comprises a threadless bolt passing through the fish-plates and the rail and so constructed as to be incapable of turning in the said plates, yet permitting sufficient movement of the rails to allow for expansion and contraction of the latter. Said bolt is provided with means constantly tending to tighten the same, and said means also constan tlytend to tighten the fish-plates against the rails, so that the latter are effectually prevented from separation or dislodgment at the joint.

My invention is capable of a great many different embodiments, and it will be understood that the same can be used with equal effect as a fastening for almost any of the known forms of joints in which splice-pieces are used for connecting or joining together two or more parts.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A A represent two railway-rails, and B B represent fish-plates or splice-pieces arranged on either side of said rails and overlapping the same at the joint or abutting ends thereof. Said fish-plates are adapted to fit snugly against the webs a of the rails in the usual manner, and they are formed on opposite sides of the rail-joint b with corresponding openings 0. Said openings are elongated lengthwise of the plates, and they are practieally oblong in shape, having no angles, however, which would tend to weaken the plates. The web a of each of the rails A is formed with a similarly-shaped opening cl, enabling the proper insertion of the bolt at the time of applying the fastening, and these openings d permitof a limited movement of the rails to allow for expansion and contraction thereof.

Inserted in the openings 0 and d on either side of the rail-joint l) is a threadless bolt D,

which in part constitutes my present improvements. The said bolt is formed with a head 6 and a short section or portion j, which, as shown at g g, is flattened on opposite sides 5 to correspond with the upper and lower edges of the said opening 0. The bolt is further formed with a longer or extended portion 7L,

similarly flattened on opposite sides, as shown at 2 2, and an intermediate connecting portion 7'. The latter portion is substantially round in cross-section and, as seen at j and 70, respectively, the rounded sides Z of the sections or portionsfand h project beyond the sides of the said rounded portion j. In this way shoulders are formed which prevent the flattened portions of the bolt from entering the opening (Z in the web after the fastening has been properly applied and the parts adjusted. As shown in Fig. 2, the portionfof the bolt fits snugly in the opening 0 of fishplate B and the portion h thereof similarly fits the corresponding opening in plate B and projects beyond the said plate. The intermediate round portion j is received by the opening (Z in the web of the rail and the rail is free to move thereon to a limited extent.

From the construction and arrangement shown and described it is apparent that neither the bolt nor the fish-plates can turn when the parts are in position. Instead of forming the bolt with the intermediate rounded portionj I could form the same of equal dimensionswith the portions fand h throughout; but in that case the opening (Z in the web a would have to he made correspondingly longer, which would tend to weaken the rail and which it is the purpose of the present construction to avoid. The bolt has a reduced end portion 3 and is notched or grooved at 11, the purposes of which will be explained hereinafter.

In connection with my improved form of threadless bolt D, I employ devices operating automatically to take up the wear of the parts resulting from vibration produced by trains moving upon the rails, and said devices also prevent the bolt and fish-plates from working loose from other causes. Thus I form in the extended flattened portion h of the bolt an elongated opening or slot m, the end wall it of which is straight, as shown, and the opposite wall it of which is beveled or inclined. Fitting in the said opening or slot is a key or wedge 0, having a straight edge 0', corresponding to wall it, and a beveled or inclined edge 0 corresponding to wall it, while the upper edge of said key or wedge is rounded off at o for a purpose to be described. The said opening m on opposite sides of the bolt is partially covered or overlapped bythe upper and lower edges of opening 0 in fislrplate B, as shown, so that the key or wedge is held in the opening, with the straight edge thereof bearing or resting against the side of the fishplate on opposite sides of the bolt. It is only by continued wear of the fish-plate or some other part that the key or wedge is permitted to descend farther into the opening, and it is evident from the arrangement shown that such wear will be taken up by the key for a considerable length of time.

In order to prevent the key or wedge from being dislodged from the opening an and also engaged from the groove 11.

to insure the automatic action thereof, I pro vide means constantly exerting a pressure thereon to force the same into the opening as any wear occurs. powerful spring-clamp G, formed with a portion 1, having a rectangular opening 2, and fitting upon the reduced end 3 of the bolt, which is also rectangular, as shown, and which is preferably beveled at 4 to facilitate insertion of the same in the said opening 2. so reducing the bolt at the end a shoulder is formed at 5 for the clamp to abut against, and which also limits the extent to which the clamp can be forced onto the bolt. clamp is also formed with a portion or jaw 6, turned inward from the said portion 1, substantially at right angles thereto, and with a longer portion or jaw 7, also turned inward therefrom in the same manner. jaw 7 bears upon the upper edge of the key or wedge o and is struck up at 8 to form a groove 9 to partially receive the said key, and the said jaw G is turned inward at the end to form a lip 10, which is received by the groove or notch 11 in the corresponding side of the bolt. One edge of the opening 2 is turned outward to form a lip 12, which gives greater bearing for the clamp upon the reduced end portion 3 of the bolt. forced onto the end of the bolt until the lip 10 enters the groove 11, whereupon the parts are securely clamped in position and the jaw 7 continues to exert a pressure upon the key to force the same farther into the opening m. I00 The rounded upper edge'of the key enables the jaw 7 to ride upon the same when the clamp is forced onto the bolt.

The clamp can Very readily be forced into place by hand; but purposely the construction and arrangement are such as to render it extremely difficult and in some instances altogether impossible to remove the same without the use or aid of some implement.

For this purpose I use the tongs M, (shown no plied, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. at, by inserting the jaws '2) between the bolt and the jaw 6 of the clamp, and then the handle por tions are pressed together firmly, whereupon as the said jaws are forced together or toward each other the said jaw 6 of the clamp is forced outward and the lip 10 thereof dis- By now pulling upon the tongs the said clamp will be withdrawn from the bolt, and the latter can then be removed after the removal of the key 0 from the opening m.

Instead of arranging the bolt and its fas- Said means consist of a 70 The said 80 The said 85 f The clamp is simply 95 The said handle portions 1 15 tening devices in the position shown in Fig. 2 I sometimes arrange the same at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 5, in which case it is only necessary to extend the openings 0 vertically instead of horizontally.

It will of course be understood that the details of construction of the several parts can be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, a key or wedge working in the bolt, and engaging one of the fish-plates, and means carried by the bolt exerting a constant pressure on the key.

The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, a key or wedge working in the bolt, and engaging one of the fishplates on opposite sides of said bolt, and means carried by the bolt exerting a constant pressure on the key.

3. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, a key or wedge working in the bolt, and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a springclamp fitting upon the bolt and exerting a constant pressure upon the key.

4. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, and having a notch in one side thereof, a key or wedge working in the bolt, and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a springclamp exerting a constant pressure on the key and having a jaw engaging the notch in the bolt.

5. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, a key or wedge working in the bolt, and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a springclamp having one jaw engaging the bolt and another jaw exerting a constant pressure on the key.

6. The combination with the rails and the fish-plates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, and formed at the end with a reduced portion and a shoulder, a key working in said bolt and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a spring-clamp fitting said reduced portion and abutting against the shoulder, and

formed with a jaw exerting a constant pres sure upon the key.

7. The combination with the rails and the fish-plates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, and formed with the notch and the reduced end portion, a key working in said bolt and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a spring-clamp fitting said reduced portion of the bolt, and having a jaw engaging the notch, and another jaw exerting a constant pressure upon the key.

S. The combination with the rails and the fish-plates, each having elongated openings on either side of the rail-joint, of a thread less bolt passing through each set of openings, and formed with the flattened portions f, h and-the intermediate rounded portionj, a key working in said bolt and engaging the side of one of the fish plates, and means carried by the bolt exerting a constant pressure on the key.

0. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, and formed with an opening partially overlapped by one of said fish-p1ates,a key seated in the opening and bearing against said fish-plate, and means carried by the bolt exerting a constant pressure on the key.

10. The combination with the rails and fishplates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, and formed with an opening m extending into the opening in one of the fish-plates, the inner and outer end walls of said opening an being straight and inclined respectively, a key fitting the opening and having a straight edge and an inclined edge, and means carried by the boltexerting a constant pressure on the key.

11. The combination with the rails and the fish-p1ates, of a threadless bolt passing therethrough on either side of the rail-joint, a key working in said bolt and engaging the side of one of the fish-plates, and a spring-clamp exerting a constant pressure on the bolt, and having a jaw struck up to form a recess into which the upper edge of the key is received.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS C. I'IAOKETT.

\Yitnesses:

HOWARD R. HOPKINS, G. L. JUMP. 

